The 'fight scene' corner kick tactics that have long dominated the Premier League's set-pieces are on notice – and it couldn't come soon enough for fans fed up with the ugly, game-changing spectacle. The World Cup has blown open the lid on this contentious issue, revealing a strict new approach to blocking and holding within the penalty area, courtesy of FIFA's Pierluigi Collina.
The evidence is already mounting: Germany's goal against Paraguay was disallowed due to a deliberate block by Waldemar Anton on Orlando Gill, while Spain saw their own goal chalked off when Pau Cubarsi was penalised for fouling Alexander Schlager. These tough calls are precisely what Collina has been drilling into his officials – an 'exclusion zone' for goalkeepers in the six-yard box and zero tolerance for deliberate blocking.
Last season's Premier League witnessed some of the most egregious examples of these tactics, with Arsenal racking up a record 19 goals from corners. Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp famously branded this style of play as 'wrestling', highlighting what he perceived to be leniency in English football towards players impeding opponents and crowding goalkeepers.
The stats paint a clear picture: at the World Cup, goals from corners have averaged 0.34 per match – significantly lower than the 0.49 per match seen in the Premier League last season. It's also below the Bundesliga and Champions League averages of 0.46, although still higher than the 0.20 figure from the Qatar World Cup four years ago.
FIFA's meticulous preparation for its referees is a key factor behind this new approach, with officials schooled in anticipating blocking positions and runs through state-of-the-art camps like the one held in Miami. This level of detail allows them to enforce the new guidelines with precision and consistency – and it's high time the Premier League followed suit.
The question on everyone's lips now is: will English clubs and managers adapt their set-piece strategies to a more conventional, less confrontational approach? If the World Cup sets a precedent for how corners are refereed globally, it could spell the end of an era for the 'fight scene' – and we wouldn't be complaining.
Source: BBC Sport